The Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan is a contemporary romance set during the holiday season. This one features more than one relationship in the story with romance also being mixed in with familial relations and friendship.

After Christy Sullivan’s mother died suddenly Christy decided that she wanted to track down her only other relative. Christy’s aunt, Robyn Svennson, was estranged from Christy’s mother so Christy really has no memory of her and is curious what kept the sisters apart for all these years. Finding that Robyn lives in Lapland Christy plans a trip that she feels will also make the perfect Christmas.

Right before the trip Christy learns some news from her husband, Seb, that will delay their departure so Christy turns to her best friend, Alix Carpenter, to keep the holiday on track. Alix will take Christy’s daughter to Lapland ahead of Christy and her husband but traveling along will be Seb’s best friend Zac who Alix hasn’t had the best track record with in the past so Alix isn’t sure how jolly the vacation will be.

The Christmas Escape by Sarah Morgan had a lot going on in the story and after beginning I had a hard time trying to put this one down just wanting to keep the pages turning. There’s not only the enemies to lovers new romance with Alix and Zac but Christy’s relationship with her husband and then later on with her estranged aunt Robyn with lots of secrets surfacing. Don’t worry though amidst all of the relationship building in the story there was also plenty of Christmas cheer thrown into the mix making this one a lovely holiday tale set wonderful place to be during the holiday season. Definitely one to check out and I will happily read more of this author in the future.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.

Sarah Morgan has been on my “auto-read” list for years now. I’ve enjoyed her last few holiday novels so I was really looking forward to reading her latest, The Christmas Escape. Published back in October, the novel delivers cozy, Christmas feelings all while giving the reader some serious wanderlust.

Here’s the book’s description:
It was supposed to be Christy Sullivan’s perfect Christmas getaway—a trip to Lapland with her family and best friend, Alix. But facing a make-or-break marriage crisis, Christy desperately needs time alone with her husband. Her solution? Alix can take Christy’s little daughter to Lapland, and they will reunite there for Christmas Day. It’s a big ask, but what else are friends for?
There’s nothing Alix won’t do for Christy. But Christy’s request to save Christmas is giving Alix sleepless nights. She knows something is wrong, but for the first time ever, Christy isn’t talking. And even the Arctic temperatures in Lapland aren’t enough to dampen the seriously inconvenient sizzle Alix is developing for Zac, a fellow guest and nemesis from her past.
As secrets unravel and unexpected romance shines under the northern lights, can Christy and Alix’s Christmas escape give them the courage to fight for the relationships they really want, and save the precious gift of each other’s friendship?

The novel is told through alternating chapters from Alix and Christy, with a few from Robyn’s perspective as well. I liked getting to know all three women but definitely feel like there wasn’t an even emphasis on the two best friends. I enjoyed reading about Alix more (you always have a favourite with these types of books - don’t try to deny it) but her storyline was very heavily focused on the romance (which I really enjoyed). Chrissy’s storyline was also about her romantic relationship but there were a ton more issues surrounding it than just waiting to see if she and her husband would be able to rekindle their marriage.

There’s some great armchair travel opportunities in this book. The women both live in England - Alix with a glamorous lifestyle in London as she works her high level marketing job, and Christy living an idyllic life in a cottage in a small village outside of the city. But not only did this Canadian get a taste of England but they all travel to Lapland (part of Finland) for Christmas. I’ve never been to Finland and Morgan made it seem so incredibly magical. I want to stay in Robyn’s cabins at her spa! I especially loved how excited Christy’s daughter was about spending the holidays surrounded by snow and reindeer.

If you’re looking for a contemporary fiction read that’s heavy on the romance and travel inspiration, The Christmas Escape is for you. Sarah Morgan’s latest novel combines Christmas, family, and love in a nice novel that’s perfect for curling up with next to the fire.

*An advanced egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Harlequin, via NetGalley in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

Need a holiday book to add to your TBR? I got you! I’ve enjoyed some of Sarah Morgan’s other books in the past and they are exactly everything I love to read during the holiday season! The Christmas Escape was no exception.

First, I know where I want to spend my Christmas…inside the pages of The Christmas Escape. Most of the book is set in Lapland, Sweden and it evokes everything that is magical about Christmastime. The book gave me some serious wanderlust! Sarah Morgan also gives us a story that is so multi-faceted. It is the perfect combination of women’s fiction, family drama, and romance. There are many different aspects to the story including a couple of more serious issues, but none of it overshadows all of the heartwarming magic.

The audiobook is narrated by Rose Robinson and was well done, but not quite a standout either. Regardless, I loved it and would recommend reading it in any format!

Thank you so much to @htpbooks for my #gifted copy and @harperaudio @librofm for the gifted #audiobook!
#HTPbooks #HTPInfluencer #HarlequinTradePublishing

Once again Sarah Morgan comes up with a heartwarming Christmas story that doesn't become a super sweet Hallmark movie. In between snowman building and dog sledding in the majestic Lapland, this novel addresses the hard truths about relationships and secrets from multiple angles. Alix believes she can't handle relationships because of lesson she learned growing up with her parents' divorce and general neglect. The only successful relationship she's ever had is with her best friend, but a current crisis has her believing even that is a failure. Then there's her best friend Christy facing a marriage crisis as truths come out, problems that are only compounded by the fact that Alix never thought the marriage was a good idea in the first place. At the same time, Christy is finally meeting the mysterious aunt her mother refused to talk about. When it's time to confront all of these secrets, the truth with either make or break these important relationships.
While it seems like there's a lot going on in this novel, everything flows seamlessly as one blends into the other. It's serious enough that it doesn't feel like fluff, but there's more than enough fun that it doesn't feel heavy. With a touch of Christmas magic and a dose of romance, this is a wonderful holiday read.

There's just something about a Sarah Morgan Christmas novel. One of my favorite things about her novels is how she weaves together a story with with varying thread and from different points of view. Her books always focus on family, friendship, and strong female characters. In the Christmas Escape, I loved Christy's and Alix's stories and their path of growth this novel set for them. I also loved jumping between the romances. There was a little bit of something for every reader in this novel with a marriage in trouble storyline and a enemies to lover + only one bed storyline. But most of all I loved the setting of The Christmas Escape. The arctic town of Lapland absolutely came alive while reading. I now need a snowy, northern getaway! Thank you @harlequinbooks for the gifted copy!

An uplifting novel of friendship, the festive season, and risking everything for the biggest gift of all...

It was supposed to be Christy Sullivan’s perfect Christmas escape – a dream trip to Lapland with her family and best friend, Alix. But facing a make-or-break marriage crisis, Christy desperately needs time alone with her husband, Seb. Her solution? Alix, along with Seb’s oldest friend, Zac, can take Christy’s daughter on the planned Lapland trip, and they will all reunite there for Christmas Day. After all, what are friends for?

There’s nothing Alix won’t do for Christy, but Christy’s plan to save Christmas is testing their friendship. Especially as Alix and Zac have a difficult history of their own.

As long-held secrets unravel, and unexpected romance shines under the Northern Lights, can Christy and Alix find the courage to fight for the relationships they really want? And could this Christmas escape save the precious gift of each other’s friendship?

Morgan is quickly becoming a favorite author of mine! I havent read that many of her books, but I sure have enjoyed the ones I have read.
The Christmas Escape was exactly the kind of escape I needed - romance, getting away, feeling loved…

Alix has really been looking forward to a vacation in Lapland with her best friend Christy. However, she soon learns that plans have changed. Christy is worried about her marriage and realizes that she needs time alone with her husband. But she doesn't leave Alix in the lurch. Sort of. Christy asks Alix to take her young daughter Holly to Lapland instead. She promises to meet them in Lapland in time for Christmas Day.

Of course Alix says yes. But she is quite concerned. How is she going to enterain a little girl? What about her need for a getaway? And will Christy and her husband be all right? Then factor in Zac who is there in Lapland and Alix soon finds herself involved in a romance that just might end up becoming more than a fling.

Alix and Zac have a history. They met at Christy's wedding but have long since gone their separate ways. Will their time together in a veritable winter wonderland give the two a chance to revive feelings that did not get a chance to take off before? And, what of Christy. Will her marriage survive, as well as her friendship with Alix?

What a sweet and engaging story. Not only did I enjoy the developing stories with the primary protagonists, I enjoyed meeting Robyn, Christy's aunt and loved her parts in this story.

Many thanks to HQN and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

I love Sarah Morgan's Christmas Stories and this one was a sweet experience. The characters were well developed with their pains and histories. The way the plot unfolded kept me in the book until the last page

That was SO GOOD. I love how complex Sarah Morgan books are - with multiple intertwined relationships and dynamics, it's always interesting and leaves me very invested. This was literally the perfect Christmas book for me right now.

The Review

This was such an emotional and well-rounded holiday read. The author did a perfect job of conveying the protagonist’s friendship and struggles both apart and together. The tension that can build between two longtime friends when living their own separate lives was perfectly illustrated here, and the struggle to find a balance between the friendship you once had and the evolution that it has taken was explored expertly here.

The heart of the narrative was the relationship between all of the characters, not just the protagonists. While the friends were the driving force of the story, getting to see how each interacted with others in this vacation setting was interesting, from Alix’s budding romance to Christy’s fragile marriage and the struggles with her own past, this novel really allowed the characters to shine while still keeping a bit of the magic of the holidays with such a wintery setting.

The Verdict

A gripping, heartfelt, and engaging holiday story, author Sarah Morgan’s “The Christmas Escape” is a must-read women’s fiction and holiday romance bundled up into one novel. The captivating character developments and the emotional journey that these protagonists take during this holiday retreat make this story such a powerful narrative, and one not to be missed.

Favorite Quotes:

It turned out that you could reinvent yourself if you moved far enough away from everyone who knew you.

Her life was unraveling so fast she expected to find nothing but strands of it at her feet.

“It’s not sentiment, Alix. It’s emotion. And unlike you, I’m not afraid of emotion.” She was pretty sure that if she took the lid off hers right now, he’d be afraid.

No way am I staying in that confined space with you… It’s more of a health and safety issue. My health. Your safety.


My Review:

This was a hybrid mix of genres of women’s fiction, romance, and family drama with a holiday theme with the added bonus of generous lashings of amusing wry wit and humor. I always enjoy a Sarah Morgan read, as she is a skilled storyteller who can certainly weave a perceptive and entertaining tale with original yet knowable characters while hitting all the feels.

>>4.5★<<

Christy sends her daughter, Holly, ahead on their Christmas trip to Lapland with her best friend, Alix, so she can stay behind for a few days and support her husband, Seb, through an unexpected hardship. Little does Alix know, Seb's best friend, Zac, is also accompanying her and she isn't pleased about it, especially after their last heated encounter. To top it all off, the reason for Christy's trip to Lapland was to reconnect with her estranged Aunt Robyn and learn the reason for the separation once and for all. Truths will be exposed and hopefully the magical setting of the Northern Lights, majestic pines and glistening snow will be enough to see them all through.

I really, really enjoyed this novel. The first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the reasons I liked this book is the setting. I can't think of a more magical, Christmas atmosphere than Lapland. Add in Aunt Robyn's winter getaway with a beautiful lodge and romantic cabins and the setting is elevated even more. There is snow-shoeing, sled dogs, visiting Santa, seeing the Northern Lights... It was just wonderful. By the time I was done Lapland was added to my own personal bucket list.

The characters are dynamic and interesting. I loved watching Alix and Zack break down the walls between them and finally face the things that are getting in the way of any budding relationship they may have had over the years. Alix is very witty and I found myself laughing out loud at her antics. Christy and Seb have been married for five years but are just now accepting the truth that they don't know each other as well as they thought and they use their much needed alone time acquainting themselves with each other. Robyn has been waiting and hoping for the moment she might be able to reconnect with her niece that she hasn't seen since she was three years old. She's desperate to make amends and her husband Eric is there to support her in all things. Each character brought something new to the story and I was never bored while reading.

The Christmas Escape opened on Christy facing some things she was having trouble dealing with, leading me to believe the book would be a bit darker than I had expected but this simply wasn't the case. This ended up being such a lovely, heartwarming story that I never wanted to put it down. If this book doesn't put you in the Christmas spirit than nothing will. Central to the plot of the book is Christy and Alix's lifelong friendship and their very special bond with one another. But even that will be put to the test in this story of family, friendships and discovery.

Since accidentally having stumbled upon the Manhattan with Love series, I've been keeping my eye open for stories of Sarah Morgan, like A Wedding In December. I like her style: cute, cozy with a little tough of drama or underlying current. So when the Christmas Escape was offered for a blog tour, I was happy to enter.
And Sarah has done yet another out­standing job. The Christmas Escape is about Christy and her best friend Alix. We start the story when Christy finds out her husband Seb is cheating on her (or so she thinks). To find out more, she asks Alix to take their daughter Holly to Lapland for the Christmas holidays And she and Seb will follow a few days later.
Since Alix doesn't have much experience with children, Seb asks his best friend Zac to come along and help Alix out. Little do Seb and Christy know, that Zac and Alix have a history together. So, while Christy discovers Seb's real secrets, Alix has a hard time to keep Zac at a distance. meanwhile, Holly is enjoying time with her great aunt Robyn, who is the owner of the Lapland retreat. When Christy and Seb also arrive, it is time for some secrets to be revealed. But will all their relations survive? Against the winter Wonderland, Sarah spins a wonderful story of family, lies and secrets and of friendship and forgiveness.
Highly recommended to read next to the christmas tree with a hot cup of cocoa. Four out of five stars from me and a special thank you to Netgalley for providing the arc.

This story is told from multiple views. We have Robyn, the ostracized aunt who owns a vacation lodge in Lapland. Her story is sort of the inducement for this book as a whole, but we don’t hear from her all that often. Robyn has found her HEA in love, but has always yearned for a connection with her niece Christy. Christy is married with a young daughter and has always wanted to spend Christmas in Lapland, it’s something she and her best-friend Alix grew up talking about. Just as she’s about to make this dream come true, she finally opens her eyes to see there are problems in her marriage and in her life that need to be addressed, throwing her orderly life into a tailspin. She asks Alix to take her daughter Holly on to Lapland as planned, with Christy and her husband to join them in a few days. Alix is single and likes it that way. She doesn’t think she’s good at relationships so doesn’t ever take the chance of catching feelings. She’d do anything for Christy, including taking her 4-year-old to another country and spending time with the one man that could possibly get through that wall she’s put up.

Where Alix is Christy’s best-friend, Zac is Christy’s husband’s best-friend. Someone Alix has been avoiding for over 5 years, ever since Christy and Seb’s wedding. And let me tell you, Zac is one of the most patient and kind people you’ll meet. He’s wonderful with Holly, understanding with Alix even when she doesn’t deserve his kindness, and really is able to look at things in a way many don’t take the time to do. Meaning as much as Alix tries to push him away, he never gives up. Not in a creepy way. He’s not pushy. But he’s there when she needs him. He understands her even more than she understand herself. The days these two spend together as Holly’s substitute parents are days they both come to realize some hard truths about themselves.

Christy’s need for order and perfection has driven her husband to keeping secrets. Not the secrets she at first fears, but it’s still not an ideal situation. Theirs is a story of love that is maybe taken for granted, and maybe not trusted as much as it should be. Their relationship was a whirlwind which has led Christy to have deep rooted fears of what that relationship is built on. They skipped past some of the “getting to know you” stuff they should have done at the beginning of their courtship. Christy is determined to fix things, but first she needs to learn to let go of other things.

While I look at this story as a romance, after all the relationships of Alix and Zac as well as Christy and Seb are key to the entire book, one of the main storylines is the lifelong relationship between Christy and Alix. Things were said and done back when Christy was getting married that has altered the ease and camaraderie these two always had. The women are finally ready to face these issues and only hope their friendship can weather the storm that is to come.

The setting is almost a whole other character in parts of this book. A Christmas wonderland of snow, northern lights, reindeer, and sled dogs. The author does a beautiful job of taking the reader to Lapland. I found myself really wanting to vacation there myself.

There is sweet chemistry between all of these characters. I found myself drawn into their world and rooting for all of the relationships to work out. But I also found some areas of the story to be a bit slow and frustrating. For the most part, it was an enjoyable read.

Testing friendships and complicated relationships set against the stunning backdrop of Lapland in all of its magical beauty, and you've got THE CHRISTMAS ESCAPE by Sarah Morgan.

When I pick up a Sarah Morgan book I always know that I am in for a great story with relatable characters full of depth and a plot that will get me to invest deeply into it all, and this book is no exception. Christy and Alix have been best friends forever but lately, there is something that is hindering their closeness, and hopefully, this trip away will solve it. But when Christy needs to spend some time with her husband, she asks Alix and another friend, Zac, to go ahead on the trip with her daughter and they will catch up in a few days. But life and love are never straightforward and as all of the characters try to deal with their baggage and their past, secrets will come to the surface, and everyone will have to face some hard truths to find the happiness and relationships that they want in their lives.

THE CHRISTMAS ESCAPE by Sarah Morgan is the kind of book that you plan to sit down with for half an hour and then you realise that it's dark and you are almost at the end. A wonderful story about friendship, love, and being honest with yourself, this book is sure to be another hit for Sarah Morgan.

Three women, three stories, one holiday. The story is told through the women's points of view with Christy's being prominent. That didn't make Robyn's and Alix's stories any less moving. In fact, all three have things to work through whether it be marriage problems, emotional pasts, or family estrangements. So, we have the different threads moving along, and you'd think it would be one busy book with little time for Christmas or those warm fuzzy feels that come with it. But Sarah Morgan does what she does best and weaves it all together with a wonderfully descriptive setting, a bit of romance, some redemption, and family. The story is balanced so well between the drama and the holiday, and it's everything I look for in a Christmas romance.

Disclaimer: I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

This story is a wonderful story that dives into several people's lives.

It is told from multiple points of view.

I loved that the story took on multiple views because not everything is as it seems. Sometimes when we meet someone we judge them before knowing them. This story really opens up the people in it to show not everything is as it seems.

As the characters in this story move forward we learn some have secrets. Some have a hard time loving and some just need to learn to let go.

The journey these characters take is a beautiful one set against the beauty of the wilderness n Sweden.

I admit after reading this story I now have Sweden on my bucket list of places to visit.

Overall I enjoyed this book and was exhausted emotionally when I finished which is how it should be.

The first Sarah Morgan book I bought was Sleigh Bells in the Snow. The second book of hers I have is the ARC of A Wedding in December. I loved them and knew I wanted to get more of Sarah's novels.

I selected this one from my NetGalley library as I wanted something christmassy and escapist. The Christmas Escape was just that.

The characters were unique and the little girl was cute. Sarah Morgan's writing style is immersive, and she has a great eye for detail. The novel is feel good yet the relationships are realistically shown.

Thanks to Sarah Morgan and for my ARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

4.5 stars

The Christmas Escape
Sarah Morgan

Morgan’s latest Christmas novel is a true treasure about second chances, friendship and family, the family we’re born into, the family of the heart and the families we make.
It’s hard to pick the best thing about Sarah Morgan’s The Christmas Escape because there’s so much to choose from. Take the location, can there be a better place to set a Christmas story than the Swedish Lapland’s, hunkered down in a luxury resort surrounded by an idyllic snow globe winter wonderland and topped off by the Aurora Borealis? Or take the storyline about reuniting with long lost family, about secrets, regrets and hopes for the future. Or maybe the characters everyone of whom is imperative to the telling of this incredible Christmas tale. Or this master storyteller herself who just gets better and better with each novel. You see it just doesn’t matter which way you turn The Christmas Escape is this year’s must read holiday story.

Christy Sullivan is a planner and this year she planned the perfect Lapland Christmas for her own little family and her best friend Alix visiting her black sheep aunt who was a taboo subject while her mother was alive but now one she wants to get to know. But just as it’s time to leave her husband Seb has an emergency and she needs to stay home for a few extra days. Not wanting her daughter Holly to miss out on anything also means asking her best friend Alix to go ahead of them and take care of Holly. And knowing what a handful Holly can be she also recruits Seb’s best bud Zac to lend a hand.
Alix Carpenter has Christy to thank for her loving Christmas, in fact if it wasn’t for Christy and her family Alix would have never survived her childhood, but Christy has no idea about the Pandora’s box she opened asking both Alix and Zac to look after Holly. Well how could she know because Alix never confided in her best friend about her past history with Zac. And Alix isn’t sure she’ll survive this Christmas if she has to spend it in such close quarters with a man she just wants to forget.

It’s been two years since Christy Sullivan’s mother died in a car accident. Her only remaining relative is an aunt, Robyn Svennson, who she’s never met as she and her sister were estranged. Christy needs an escape from the country cottage she and husband Seb purchased that’s become more like a money pit so she reaches out to her Aunt Robyn and husband Erik who own a lodge in the Swedish Lapland and makes plans to spend the Christmas holiday with them. It is an idyllic location for her, Seb and daughter Holly to getaway. She’s also invited her best friend Alix Carpenter to join them. However, a few days before the scheduled trip, Christy and Seb have a marriage crisis and Alix agrees to go ahead with Holly. Seb’s best friend Zac is also accompanying them (unknown to Alix) to provide much need help with the four year old.

The story is told from the points of view of Robyn, Christy and Alix though Christy carries much of the heft of the narratives. Each of these women are burdened by their pasts, but Robyn and Alix’s histories are the saddest. Until Christy married Seb, she and Alix shared everything but her friend’s opposition to her marriage has put some topics out of bounds. Alix’s parents are highly successful and never wanted a child, thus raising her with indifference. She began spending more time with Christy’s family, which became the family of her heart. The distance she’s experiencing from Christy is traumatizing as she’s all she has. But she’s holding back, too, and it involves Zac. The reason for Robyn’s estrangement from Christy’s mother has never been shared with Christy and Robyn’s unsure whether that truth will permanently sever the relationship.

You would think that these three plot lines would upend the seasonal aspect of the story and laden it with too much drama. It was quite the opposite as the issues were seamlessly woven into the threads of the relationships and Holly kept the spirit of the season front and center throughout. I loved how Christy and Alix dealt with the issues that almost tore their friendship to threads. It wasn’t pretty but it also brought out the best from their partners, Seb and Zac, who recognized the importance of their relationship. We had to wait a long time to get Robyn’s story but it was well worth the delay. The setting put me in the holiday mode as the sleighs, reindeer and snow covered vistas were easy to visualize and imagine. I felt like I was there. I listened to the story and the narrator did a wonderful job in providing distinctive voices for the three points of view. She delivered a fine performance, even capturing Holly’s excitement throughout. I always enjoy the holiday stories by this author and she’s kept the tradition going with this one.